My ICASA Rant

P

Peapod

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Dear Mr Langa, Ms Manche, Mr Matlou and Ms Ngoasheng

Was I imagining things when Telkom claimed during the ADSL hearings that their ADSL service was not designed for viewing streaming video and listening to audio streams, but rather for viewing web pages and downloading email?

In fact, Steven White has repeatedly made similar statements in the press and to various of our forum members when challenged about the poor standard of Broadband offered by Telkom.

So how come then, not even a month after the hearings can this statement be released to the press?

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/int...ms&A=TEL&O=FRGN

Is it another instance where Telkom think that they are so above reproach that they can dupe not just the public but our regulatory authority as well? Surely they knew about this product development as Steve White (or his representative) was present at the hearings was he not?

What incenses me and the rest of our consumer forum is that the technology is available, Telkom are just highly adept at raping the public for all they are worth.

I give you some forewarning. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, people who were tired of repression and draconian laws took the law into their own hands. Alan Boesak was one of these pioneers. He put on his cozzie and took a swim at the whites’ only beach at Muizenberg. Thousands followed suit all over the country. He gave us direction. The ANC backed him. They made apartheid laws visible for the ridiculous and unfair, criminal and pathetic sham that they were. The people followed. We made this country ungovernable. We forced change.

Technology is moving too fast for our own Ministry of Communications to keep up with. I would go so far as saying that our Ministry is ill equipped to handle enormity of opportunity or the impact these new technologies offer to our country – for ALL HER PEOPLE. Affordable, easy to achieve, easy to deliver, world class. Telkom KNOW this. Their failure to co-operate is nothing more than a ploy to secure revenue.

Furthermore, I was outraged to read this today http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=301 . Telkom should be committed to delivering WORLD CLASS services, not downgrading an already pathetic offering to a 192 service that is nothing more than the bare minimum attempt to satisfy the governments request for affordable connectivity. In Sengal, for the same money, I can have an uncapped 1024 service! SENEGAL people!!!

How I ask you, are you going to stop/regulate/tax/licence what comes next? Already there are mesh networks popping up all over the country. With enough of us joining our wireless hands, with enough of us pulling together, Telkom’s fears will become a self fulfilling prophesy. They will become the white elephant they deserve to become. Is it REALLY that expensive to lay a privately owned undersea fibre optic cable given the international interest in South Africa’s telecoms industry? I think not.

Beware. The South African public have a voice, we are using it, and we have shaken our caboose. This train has no gravy carriage either.

I beg you, bring this monopoly to book and do it fast. Force the Ministry to address deregulation of the industry. It is the ONLY way we will catch up with the 21st century.

Yours in avid anticipation

Philippa Davis
Click to expand...

Lets see what it provokes - if anything!
 
Woooow.. nice writing Peapod, nice.. hopefully you'll get a reply of some sort, they seem to be scarce from those parts.
 
Yeah - we should start a za internet users support group and do group hugs an' stuff.
 
Nice one Peapod!!

Now, if we could get 100 people to send 100 similar letters to newspapers, the DoC, political parties and Icasa... Imagine the kind of effect we could have if, say, the Mail and Guardian or the president recieved 100 letters about our concerns. Maybe they would start listening.

Anyone up for following Peapod's initiative?

I hereby promise to send 10 emails and 10 written letters via post to anyone who could potentially have an impact. Give me two weeks and it'll be done. Right, who's going to pledge to do the same?
 
Put me in coach! I'm ready! :P

I'll definitely send some around. It's good therapy. Maybe those in the know can make a hitlist of important people to target. There's no use us spreading the abuse thin. We gotta pick intelligent targets and spam the hell out of them.

GOGOGO!
 
preparing a broader based initiative to send to EVERY publication in the country - yes, every one of them. see list at http://www.firstier.co.za/directory/browse/266?page=18
I am so axed. Thanks everyone for the great responses in the http://www.mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=20810 thread. BIG ammo there boys n girls and any more fact smashing you can do will be hugely beneficial. Letter goes out Thursday so its still current and will probably air at the same time as the wider telkom advert about 192 service.

Keep adding players to the industry contacts thread under announcements - it's stickied so its easy to find.

All hands to the pump people!!!

oh, still think i'm a pi$sed off housewife? you aint seen nothing yet!
 
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